'Apapane

Photo of the Week (August 6th, 2017)

Another from Hawai'i for this week's photo of the week, but this time it's
one of the native honeycreepers. In the entire United States, it would be fair
to say that no group of birds have suffered more over the last few hundred years
than Hawaiian honeycreepers. The introduction of rats, cats, and mongoose
forced native songbirds to deal with mammalian predators that were otherwise
absent from the Islands. Avian malaria has wiped out many birds (and even
species), while pigs, goats, and human activity have drastically altered
Hawaiian habitats. There are a few honeycreepers that still have strong
populations. One of those is the 'Apapane, the bird shown here. We found
high numbers of them in the mid- to higher-elevation forests on the wet side of
the island. This is a male 'Apapane.

Contact me if you'd like to order a print of this photo -
Multiple sizes, matting options available